1. Field of the Invention
The invention is concerned with a method for measuring the coagulation time of a blood sample, in which a sample-reagent mixture is formed by introducing the sample and at least one reagent into a cuvette. The invention also relates to an apparatus suitable for carrying out the inventive method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, the coagulation time of a blood sample can be established by measuring the time it takes to form a blood clot in a sample-reagent mixture which is located in a cuvette.
German Utility Model 7707 546 illustrates a known method and an apparatus for measuring blood coagulation time. According to this Utility Model, the coagulation of a sample-reagent mixture is brought about by stirring the mixture with a stirring rod which must be introduced into a cuvette before taking measurements. The stirring rod is driven by a magnetic stirring arrangement situated outside the cuvette.
When carrying out a large number of measurements, the expenditure of work for introducing the stirring rod into the cuvette is found to be a disadvantage of the above method and apparatus. Since the magnetic stirring arrangement also constitutes a considerable portion of the total material cost of the prior art apparatus, it moreover would be desirable to have an apparatus which operates without such an arrangement.
The present invention avoids the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a method and an apparatus for measuring blood coagulation time which requires low operating and material cost.